Every year, there are two gatherings when the whole St. Bart’s congregation is called to be together. The first one is the annual meeting—which is this Sunday! Please attend and vote for four new vestry members and a youth representative. The second is the visitation of our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Susan Brown Snook. Originally planned for May 3, it is now scheduled for April 19. On that Sunday, we will have only one service at 10 a.m. Canon law requires Bishop Susan to visit us at least once...

Back in October, I wrote to you about situational vs. chronic homelessness. I explained that people in situational need often have never been homeless before. They may be without a home due a lost job, an injury, a fire, or a marital breakup—when we hear their stories, it is easy to imagine that “there but for the grace of God go I”—and they need immediate help. With a strict intake process in place, the Interfaith Shelter Network provides wintertime housing and meals for those in situational...

It’s January, which means it’s time for us to sprint to the finish line of our annual giving campaign! So far, two-thirds of the congregation have pledged, and we give thanks to these members who have maintained or increased their pledge. We are about $88,000 short of what we need to maintain operations. This month, we ask for the remaining one-third to step up, as well, so we can close the gap—a very achievable goal—and create our budget plans for 2026. Every pledge counts and is vitally...